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VIOLETS 






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George Saltford 


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How to Make Money 
Growing Violets 



GEORGE SALTFORD 



VIOLET SPECIALIST 



New York 

THE VIOLET CULTURE CO. 

No. 6i Quincy Street, Brooklyn Borough, N. Y. 

1902 




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COPYRIGHT. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, April, 1902, 
by George SALTFORD,New York City. 



All Rights Reserved. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 

Preface _. 5 

Introduction 9 

Soils 13 

Planting - 17 

Watering VJ 

Cultivation 21 

Varieties 22 

Temperature 25 

Heating , 25 

Fertilizer 26 

Insects 26 

Spot Disease or Spot 30 

Houses 35 

Cold Frames 35 

Picking and Marketing 36 

Bunching 39 

Shipping Boxes 40 

Average Bloom to the Plant 43 

Profits 43 

Violet Plants for Sale. 4^ 



PREFACE. 

A page digested is better than a volume hurriedly read. — Macauley. 



The love of the beautiful in nature and in art is in- 
herent in the breast of nearly every human soul, and the 
cultivation of flowers has been held from time imme- 
morial to be one of the most elevating and ennobling 
of pursuits. 

He that loves and studies the laws of nature and fol- 
lows her teachings will be successful in growing flowers 
and will also ennoble himself, build up his moral char- 
acter and make of himself an honorable and useful mem- 
ber of the community in which he lives. 

Labor and meditation are not incompatible; work 
should never be so hard as to be irksome, but only a 
pleasui;e, and thus prosecuted it will not alone give the 
best results, but will at the same time afford an educa- 
tion, by giving opportunity to delve into the operations 
of Nature and Nature's laws. 

Now, as the great majority of the human race must 
of necessity work for money, the subject of how to make 
money and make it pleasantly and honestly becomes at 
once an interesting one. In fact, it has been the theme 
of the wisest men in all ages. As man becomes more 
and more civilized the need of money becomes more 
imperative and thousands are to-day asking the ques- 



tion: How may I add to my income legitimately and 
without physical discomfort? 

How many thousands of widows ^^ith growing chil- 
dren in towns, villages or on farms are struggling to 
make both ends meet, yet despairing of ever doing so 
as they watch their small savings dwindle away? How 
many men with small gardens in town, village or coun- 
try side are idle through the long winter months, willing 
and able enough to work yet without employment? 

To such as these this little book is dedicated, with the 
perfect knowledge and consciousness that if the reader 
of How to make money growing violets will follow the 
instructions laid down in the following pages, they will 
be successful in adding largely to their incomes and in 
increasing their happiness by cultivating those "darl- 
ings of the April rains" — violets. 

At the theatre, the opera, the concert, the ball and in 
the home of the fashionable world, the violet reigns 
supreme. The fact that it is scarce makes it all the more 
in demand. 

While this book will undoubtedly be of service to the 
professional grower, its main object is to prove to those 
struggling for an honest livelihood that big financial re- 
turns are sure to be gained in a pleasant way by those 
who study its pages. 

GEORGE SALTFORD. 
New York, May i, 1902. 



INTRODUCTION. 



It will surprise many people, not professional flower 
growers, to learn that the sweet violet {Viola odor at a) is 
not f otind native in this country. According to the best 
authorities, it is widely distributed over the European 
continent and Asia, and was first cultivated for its value 
medicinally. Later on its refreshing fragrance and its 
beauty of form attracted the lovers of the beautiful in 
nature, with the result that its culture has grown 
widely. 




INTERIOR VIOLET HOUSE. 



How to Make Money Growing Violets 



CHAPTER I. 
SOII.S. 

As nearly everything in Nature must of necessity 
come from the soil, it stands to reason that the soil for 
growing violets is of prime importance. 

While violets will grow in almost any soil, from sand 
to clay, they will not attain the highest development 
unless the soil is fitted to their needs. In fact, there 
must be sufficient food of the right kind within the 
reach of all the plants at all times. Then, if the plant 
can assimilate, or, as it were, digest the food, the re- 
sults, other things being equal, will be handsome, high 
colored, large and fragrant flowers, and these flowers 
will command a high price in all the cities where they 
are offered for sale. 

We have found by experience that the very best soil 
is what is termed a medium sod loam, such as an old 
sheep pasture or meadow, where the grass grows strong, 
what a farmer would call good corn ground, where corn 
or potatoes would grow well if heavily manured. 

This kind of soil will grow first class violets. 

What the grower of moderate means wants is to pro- 
duce flowers at the lowest possible cost, and as the soil 
is one of the most expensive items in the cultivation of 



the violet, we shall endeavor to describe the easiest, 
cheapest and best manner of preparing the soil for the 
reception of the young plants. 

Just as to quantity required, measure your house or 
frame as the case may be (inside). For every square 
foot of surface you will need two square feet of sod out- 
side. That is, suppose your house is loo feet long by 
1 8 feet wide, you will require twice i,8oo square feet, or 
3,600 square feet of sod or thereabout. 

Now mark off a piece of sod land this size, cover it 
with good rotted horse or cow manure two inches thick, 
then plow the whole up about four to five inches deep. 
After the surface has dried off, run a spring tooth har- 
row over it several times, let it lay a week, then plow 
it up again and repeat the operation several times. If 
the sod can be plowed in the fall so much the better, but 
if delayed until spring, then two or three weeks after 
plowing it will be ready for carting into the house or 
frame. If the would-be grower has not the advantage 
of owning his own land, then he may buy it by the 
wagon load and mix it in his own yard. This will re- 
quire more work, perhaps, but if he mixes the manure 
into the soil as it is thrown from the wagon it will be 
equivalent to one turning. Mix one load of manure to 
every four loads of soil, then after the heap is complete, 
turn it over again ; then it will be ready to put into the 
bed. 

Before putting the soil into the bed, sprinkle the bot- 
tom of the bed with some air-slacked lime and a sprink- 
ling of wood ashes, to be applied as the bed is filled. 
When filled, rake off the surface nice and even and 
begin planting. 

14 ' 




HOUSE HEATED BY FLUE. 



CHAPTER II. 
PI. ANTING. 

Secure strong thrifty plants from a reliable grower 
that are well rooted and with only one crown or heart. 
These are called sand struck cuttings. They take up 
very little room when packed and can be sent by ex- 
press long distances. 

When received, take them out and dip their roots in 
water and heel them in by covering the roots with 
damp soil. Then mark ofif your beds at equal distances, 
9 inches one way and 7 inches the other. Some grow- 
ers prefer to plant at distances of 9 or 10 inches. 

Use an ordinary planting trowel, and see that the 
roots of the plants are straight in the hole made by the 
trowel, not doubled up, as we have seen some planted. 
Let the earth fall back against the roots, level, and give 
a gentle pressure to the soil around the plants. A little 
practice will soon make you proficient in this. A man 
with a boy to drop the plants, ought to be able to plant 
2,000 in a day. When planted, water thoroughly. 



CHAPTER HI. 

"WATERING. 

Watering is one of the most important things pertain- 
ing to the cultivation of the violet. Too much water 
will do as much harm to a plant as not enough, although 
it is a plant, that requires plenty of water, especially 
when first planted. At the beginning the plant should 
be well watered by going over it a dozen or more times 

17 



with the hose, because if you should stand in one place 
long, you would have the bed overflowing with water, 
and you are apt to pack the soil. In syringing you 
should be very particular in keeping the leaves of the 
plants as free from soil as you possibly can. After the 
plants have been set out and well watered you should 
water once in the morning and at night for two or three 
weeks, but of course on cloudy and rainy days you 
would not need so much water. On very hot days it is 
a very good plan to dampen the house down in the mid- 
dle of the day with a mist from the hose, which will 
lower the temperature. After the plants have started to 
grow, then once a day will be enough to water, either 
in the morning or evening. We prefer the morning, 
and when the days begin to shorten and you begin to 
pick your violets you should be very careful about 
watering, so as not to get the flowers dirty.. The best 
time to water them is after you have picked your flowers 
and when you do water during this time of the fall you 
should soak the bed so as not to have to syringe so often 
during the winter months. If the hearts of the plants 
are to be kept dry through fear of rot, then water be- 
tween the rows with the nozzle of the hose removed. 
Once a month should be enough to water, but it is ac- 
cording to the porosity of the soil you have; a heavy 
soil would hold the moisture longer than a light soil, so 
that the former would not require so much water as the 
latter. The pressure of the water has a great deal to 
do with growing the plants. With a good pressure, say 
40 pounds to a square inch, you can keep, down insects, 
where with a low pressure you would not be so success- 
ful Growers living near towns that have water works 

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VIOLET PICKERS— NOON HOUR. 



have the advantage over those living in the country. 
Ahhough some of the best violets sent to market have 
been grown where wind-mills were used. Tanks are 
advertised in the country papers, and the advertiser will 
always be glad to furnish all necessary information on 
the subject. Every 27 39-100 inch in height will give 
you one pound pressure. Therefore, to have ten pounds 
pressure the tank would have to be elevated nearly 23 
feet. If this method is not within the reach of the 
grower, a hand force pump will answer the purpose very 
well. The main point to be aimed at is to keep the plant 
growing in a healthy condition, and the grower must 
use his best judgment as the crop matures. 



CHAPTER IV. 

CULTIVATION. 

After the plants have started to grow, which may be 
seen in about ten days from time of planting, they 
should be harrowed or cultivated with a small hand tool 
called a "five finger." This is simply five pieces of stout 
wire bent at the ends about two inches, the other ends 
fastened to a small wooden handle, and made, when fin- 
ished, to represent a straight toothed harrow in minia- 
ture. This we consider the most important tool and 
should be used to cultivate between the plants every 
week or oftener. The principle is to keep the soil sweet 
and loose to allow air and moisture to penetrate the 
soil, in fact, cultivate them a little better than you would 



a first class bed of young strawberry plants, and remove 
the runners as soon as they become two or thre inches 
long and keep the plant down to one or two crowns. 



CHAPTER V. 
VARIETIES. 

Although there are more than 200 varieties of violets, 
very few have been largely grown during late years. 
The California single was ushered in with a great blaze 
of trumpets a few years ago, and flowers of this variety 
were frozen in solid cakes of ice and sent from head- 
quarters in California to one of the leading florists in 
New York City to be exhibited as a wonder. 

It did not meet with great success. "The Princess of 
Wales" is the best single violet in cultivation to-day. 
Tens of thousands of these are now grown. 

The "Lady Hume Campbell" (double) has been and 
still is admired by many, but it is pale in color, although 
a stronger grower than "Marie Louise." 

"Swanly White is the best double white and requires 
a rather high temperature. The demand for it is lim- 
ited. The. old "Neapolitan" which was grown almost 
exclusively in the seventies, is discarded and "Marie 
Louise,'^ the best double blue, has taken its place. This 
queen of violets holds her own still in the front rank of 
the violet family, fearing no rival and apparently con- 
scious of the fact that clothed in her royal robe of purple 
all visitors will pay homage to her. 



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CHAPTER VI. 
TEMPERATURE. 

Much of the success ta be obtained in growing violets 
will depend upon the temperature of the atmosphere. 

When the outside temperature will allow it, keep the 
house at 40 degrees to 45 degrees at night, and in the 
daytime 5 degrees to 10 degrees higher, with plenty of 
ventilation. 

This you can regulate by light or heavy firing. Like 
all plant life, the violet dehghts in a fresh, pure and 
sweet atmosphere, and if this is given it at all times with 
the above temperature, the result will be fine flowers. 



CHAPTER VII. 
HEATING. 

There are three methods of heating green-houses, 
namely, by flue, hot water and steam. In time, no doubt 
electricity will also be used. 

The flue is the simplest and cheapest of all the known 
methods of heating. It is simply an arch of brick, form- 
ing a kind of oven with iron doors in front, and leading 
from the arch are laid lo-inch or 12-inch drain cement 
tile through one side of the house, turned from the out- 
side of the house into the chimney. 

This form of flue has been used in the beginning of 
the business life of some of our most successful growers. 

Hot water circulating through iron pipes is perhaps, 
all things considered, the most desirable. Any good 

25 



plumber can estimate and lay out the pipes in the most 
improved way. There are a number of good boilers 
in the market which can be bought for a reasonable sum. 
Steam heating is suitable for large establishments 
where a night foreman is kept and is therefore too ex- 
pensive for the beginner. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
FERTILIZER. 

Many experiments have been made with both natural 
and artificial fertilizers, and experience has proved 
there is nothing better than well rotted barnyard man- 
ure. Hen manure and the different forms of sulphates 
and nitrates are only good in the hands of the expert, 
and ought to be left entirely alone by the beginner. 

In all operations in violet growing, as with all other 
forms of plant growing, common sense should rule the 
grower at every turn. Reason, plan and think for your- 
self after you have been fairly started and you will not 
fail to succeed in growing these beautiful and fragrant 
flowers. 



CHAPTER IX. 
INSECTS. 

'The true way to treat a difficulty is to face it boldly, 
and cut through or remove it." 

To enter into a detailed and scientific account of in- 
sects injurious to violets would be beyond the scope of 

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EXTERIOR VIOLET HOUSE. 



this little book. A volume could be written on the sub- 
ject. Only those of prime importance will therefore 
be noticed. 

Green and Black Aphis or "Fly," Red Spider and 
Gall Fly. 

Red Spider grows and thrives in a dry, warm atmos- 
phere, and can be seen through a small magnifying 
glass as well as by the naked eye, on the under side of 
the leaf, and resemble somewhat grains of red pepper. 

Thousands may be seen when the plant is badly in- 
fested. Water appHed with force through the nozzle 
of the hose is the best remedy, together with a moist 
atmosphere. 

Green and Black Fly, or Aphis, as their name indi- 
cates, are small insects that sap the tissue of the leaves 
and stem of the plant. They also infest the bloom or 
the flowers. 

Tobacco smoke is the most popular means used to 
destroy these insects. The damp stems of tobacco 
leaves are placed in an iron pot and burned in the house, 
care being taken not to let the tobaccco blaze up. 
When the house is full of smoke, put out the fire and 
keep the house closed. Repeat the process every two 
or three weeks or oftener if necessary. 

There is another way of killing them, and incidently 
the grower, namely, by the use of cyanide of potash 
dissolved in sulphuric acid. This combination gener- 
ates hydrocyanic acid gas, but as this is an agent so 
deadly and dangerous in the hands of a beginner, we 
shall not attempt to describe the way to use it. 

The Gall Fly is a small fly that deposits its eggs in 
the heart of the plant during the months of August 



and September. These eggs hatch in a few days, and 
the maggot resulting robs the young leaves and pro- 
duces a decayed heart of the plant. 

The only known remedy for these pests is hand pick- 
ing and the use of hydrocyanic acid gas. 



CHAPTER X. 
SPOT DIS£A.SC:5 OR. SPOT. 

This is the only disease we shall have anything to 
say about, because it is, we believe, the worse. It is 
produced by a fungi depositing its spores on the leaves 
of the plant, and if the atmosphere is damp and the 
plant in proper condition, small white spots will be 
produced over the leaves by the destruction of tissue. 

This decomposition produces a very nauseating and 
disagreeable odor, that if once detected, will always 
be recognized afterwards. - 

The proper way to combat this disease is by keeping 
the plants in such a healthy condition that they will be 
able to resist the attack. 

Should the plants, however, become affected, "the 
spot" should be picked out by hand and burned. 

It is the same with vegetable life as with human life, 
the more hygienic the surroundings are the better 
chance an individual has to resist disease. 

As it is absolutely necessary, if the human being 
would fight off cholera or yellow fever, that he attend 
strictly to proper hygienic laws, so must the violet 
grower if he would protect his plants from ''spot" and 
other diseases, pay the strictest attention to keeping 
them clean and in a healthy condition. 

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GOOD PLANT. 




POOR PLANT. 



CHAPTER XL 
HOUSES. 

The best size of house for growing is otie 20 feet 
wide and one or more hundred feet long, with side 
walls of double boarding, 3 feet high. Posts are set 
in the ground every six feet apart. On these are nailed 
pine or hemlock boards. Rafters are run up to the 
centre piece from this, and sash laid on and screwed 
down. 

Even span houses are preferred to any other form. 

Any good carpenter can build these. Always use 
double thick glass, as hail is very apt to break the 
single thick, and there is always more breakage in the 
latter than in the former. 



CHAPTER XH. 
COLD FRAMES. 

These structures are simply boards of pine nailed to 
posts, similar to a large box with no cover, only longer, 
higher on one side than the other, and 6 feet across. 
This is covered with glazed sash, 3 feet by 6 feet in 
winter and cold weather. 

These sashes are covered with any coarse material, 
such as salt, hay, straw or straw made into mats, and 
taken off when the sun shines on the frames. 

These are the simplest structures and cost very little 
money to build. Any ordinary handy man can build the 
frames and the sash can be procured from any sash and 
blind manufacturer at market rates. 

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CHAPTER XIII. 
PICKING AND MARKETING. 

The market demands to-day violets with long strong 
stems ; color, a rich, deep purple, with full bloom ; pet- 
als, large and heavy, very small white centre ; fragrance, 
penetrating; foliage, large, deep green. 

One or two hundred of such violets in a bunch make 
a superb corsage bouquet, although fifty to the bunch 
is the popular number. With regard to selling, the 
days for making contracts for entire crops are past, 
and perhaps it is as well, for the contracts are seldom 
carried out, owing to the quality getting below the 
standard, or the market going against one of the par- 
ties concerned. 

The commission merchant has come to stay, and 
the violet grower cannot succeed without him. 

Violets are shipped in boxes lined with wax tissue 
paper, packed snugly together, one layer to the box. 

We were visited by a celebrated grower some years 
ago and asked what we did with the violets when 
bunched. Said he : "I first throw mine in a cistern and 
let them stay overnight in the water. They are nice 
and stiff when I take them out in the morning." 

That we should consider suicidal in these days, as 
water destroys the bloom as well as the perfume. We 
now use zinc pans, five inches deep, two feet wide and 
four or five feet long, filled with water. A frame of 
wire netting, three inch mesh, is placed over the pans 
and the bunched violets, fringed with their own leaves, 
are placed in the holes to await the packer. 

36 



The pans should be placed in a cool, damp room, free 
from all odors, as the violet is very susceptible and will 
take up foreign odor readily. 

Therefore smoking pipes or cigars ought never to be 
indulged in by packers or pickers during business 
hours. 

Kerosene oil and soap should be especially avoided. 
In cold weather line the boxes with several thicknesses 
of newspaper or plain paper. 

Place your violets in snugly, so that they will not 
slip about when the box is handled. Fasten the cover 
with an ordinary iron clasp, after placing the invoice 
inside, tack the address on the cover and ship by the 
nearest and best express company, after making ar- 
rangements with a reliable commission merchant in 
flowers. Such merchants can be found in all large 
cities. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

BUNCHING. 

Any one looking over a lot of boxes of violets re- 
ceived by a dealer in any of our large cities will notice 
at once the difference in the bunching of the violets re- 
ceived from various shippers. Some will be bunched in 
an even, smooth and symmetrical way, with their fringe 
of leaves as true as any Hne made by a compass; an- 
other grower with just as good flowers, the bunches of 
which will be so uneven that they look like the ridges 
and peaks of the Rocky Mountains in miniature, in- 

39 



stead of the level plain below them. Another will have 
his flowers tied so tight that it would be difficult to 
press a hat pin through them and looking like a bou- 
tonaire instead of a loose, symmetrical bunch, six 
inches in diameter. The consequence is that the well- 
bunched violets are sold first and at better prices than 
the others. Thus it will be seen that it is of the utmost 
importance to bunch your violets well before sending 
them to market and tied with very small blue or purple 
cotton cord, and the quicker they reach the buyer the 
better it will be for all concerned on account of having 
them arrive in a fresh and fragrant condition. A violet 
having no sweetness is not wanted at any price. 



CHAPTER XV. 
SHIPPING BOXES. 

A shipping box in general use to hold i,ooo violets 
should be about 20 inches long, 6 inches deep, 13 inches 
wide, of 3^ inch wood; metal clasps are used to bind 
the corners to prevent breakage. A strap of leather 
attached to the lid or top makes a useful handle. 

An ideal box to hold 1,500 violets should be 6 inches 
deep, 2 feet 8 inches long, and 14 inches wide, inside 
measure; wood, ^ inch thick for sides, top and bot- 
tom ; the ends ^, inch thick wood should be used, same 
handle and clasps as for smaller box. 




VIOLET HOtrSES. 



CHAPTER XVI. 
AVERAGE OF BI.OOMS TO A PLANT. 

We are often asked how many blooms a good healthy 
plant ought to produce? An average of fifty blooms 
to the plant is considered very good. 

Fourteen years ago the writer had a small house 
holding 800 plants that yielded 85,000 good blooms in 
three months, February, March and April. These 
were grown in a rich muck soil. 

The violet is loved more for its perfume than for any- 
thing else, and we would urge growers to use every 
means in their power to increase that perfume. 

If they do that we may rest assured that this popular 
and modest little flower will be sought after and loved 
more and more by the people at large as the years 
go by. 



CHAPTER XVII. 
PROFITS. 

Commercially speaking the question will immediately 
be asked : "Will it pay, and how much will it pay?'^ 

This is the acme of all the grower's hopes and plans, 
his pleasures and his aim. 

We answer most emphatically, yes. Here are a few 
instances of actual facts. Many more could be fur- 
nished but the following will be sufficient. 

43 



From a small house, 60 feet long by 16 feet wide, 
holding about 1,000 plants of ''Marie Louise" variety, 
90,000 blooms were picked, which netted the indus- 
trious grower $500. 

Another case. Two small houses, 100 feet long by 
20 feet wide, each holding together 4,000 plants, netted 
the grower $2,500. 

Another grower, a man who had no particular knowl- 
edge of the business, using his common sense and a 
little capital he had saved from his weekly wages, built 
a small house, 80 feet long by 20 feet wide, the result 
of which was $1,000, the first year to his credit. 

The author could cite case after case where the fore- 
closure of a mortgage on property was imminent, where 
by building a small green-house and growing violets, 
his property was redeemed and his credit was again 
first class. 

In fact, we know of no better way to make money on 
a small place than by growing violets, and the reader 
may rest assured that if he grows them good his flow- 
ers will be sought for by dealers from far and near, and 
he will be a prosperous citizen. 

When you can grow 1,000 plants well you can grow 
10,000 plants as easily and with much less expense. 

Finally, all that is needed is good common sense, a 
small piece of land, a very small capital and a willing- 
ness to work faithfully at a very pleasant occupation. 

" Oh ! the flowers look upward in every place, 

Through this beautiful world of ours, 

And dear as a smile on an old man's face 

Is the smile of the sweet blue flowers." 



L.ofC. 



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INTERIOR VIOLET HOUSE. 



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,,,, ^ ,_ MAV86 1902 

Violet Plants for Sale 



Young plants, such as are recommended 
by this volume, may be purchased at the 
following prices : 

$20.00 per 1000 
500 at 1,000 rates 
$3.00 per 100 

No C. O. D. orders taken. 

Cash must accompany all orders. 

No communications answered by this 
department unless self-addressed, stamped 
envelope is enclosed. 



VIOLET CULTURE CO. 

61 Quincy St Brooklyn, N. Y, 

46 



